The present invention refers to a device arranged to carry a set of teatcups arranged to be attached to a respective teat, wherein the device includes a carrying member, which is displaceable between at least a first inactive position beside the animal to be milked and a second active milking position and on which the teatcups are mounted via a respective flexible conduit member, including at least a milk conduit and designed to permit a certain movability of the teatcup in relation to the carrying member.
Today, it is usual to utilise a so-called claw for milking of cows. The claw is connected to the teatcups via a respective short milk conduit and arranged to collect the milk from the different teats and convey it in a common long milk conduit to a milk collecting member. However, with the present design the claw is relatively heavy to handle for the milkers. In addition, there is a risk that the teatcups contact the ground when the milking has been terminated and the teatcups are pulled off from the teats.
Work is also done today regarding different solutions without a teatcup claw, so called quarter milking, i.e. the milk from the different teats are not collected and conveyed commonly to the milking machine but is conveyed in separate conduits for each teat to the milking machine. Thereby, it is possible to reduce the risk of infections and in particular the risk that an infected udder part will infect a healthy udder part via the short milk conduits and the claw. Moreover, quarter milking has the advantage that the milking may be adapted to each individual udder part in such a manner that the milking is correctly terminated, i.e. when the udder part in question is properly emptied. In connection with quarter milking, it is however usual to connect each teatcup to the milking machine by a separate milk hose. Thereby, the risk is significant that the teatcups, after the milking is terminated, reach the floor and in addition it is difficult to arrange a convenient and simple handling of the teatcups.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,385 discloses a device of the initially mentioned type having a support arm which is connected to a carrying plate on which the teatcups are fixedly mounted via a flexible short milk conduit designed to permit a certain movability of the teatcups in relation to the carrying plate. This document discloses different embodiments which are adapted to so called quarter milking.
EP-B-205 431 discloses a milking device having a sort of claw and four teatcups. Between the claw and the teatcups, a milk conduit extends, which connects to a side portion of the respective teatcup.
The object of the present invention is to provide a device by which the problems mentioned above may be remedied. In particular, it is aimed at a device carrying the teatcups in such a manner that these may be applied to the teats of an animal in an easy way. In addition, it is aimed at a device by which one may guarantee that the teatcups may not contact the ground after the milking is terminated.
This object is obtained by the device initially defined, which is characterized in that each conduit member extends upwardly from the carrying member and connects to a side portion of the respective teatcup. By such a design of the conduit member, it is possible to provide the teatcups on the carrying member in such a manner that they are easily engagable by the person to apply the teatcups to the teats of the animal to be milked. By the design according to the invention, the teatcups are also easily gripped by means of a robot arm in connection with automatic application of the teatcups to the teats of the animal to be milked. In addition, by the design according to the invention it is possible to avoid that the teatcups contact the ground after the milking is terminated when they are released or pulled off from their respective teat. By the geometric extension of the conduit members and by the fact that the conduit members merely permit a certain movability of the teatcup in relation to the carrying member and thus have a certain rigidity, which merely permits a limited displacement of the teatcups from the position they take when the teatcups are applied to their respective teat, it is possible to define in advance a desired position for teatcups in relation to the carrying member when the teatcups are not applied to a teat. Furthermore, by the design according to the invention it is possible to let the teatcups influence the teats merely by a pulling force.
According to an embodiment of the invention, each conduit member includes a first portion extending substantially vertically upwardly from the carrying member at least when the carrying member is in the second active milking position and the teatcup in question is attached to a teat The flexible conduit member will thereby permit a certain bending of the first portion, which means that the teatcup is moved downwardly. Furthermore, each conduit member may include a second portion extending substantially horizontally to a respective teatcup at least when the carrying member is in the second active milking position and the teatcup in question is attached to a teat. Advantageously, each conduit member includes a connecting portion connecting the first portion and the second portion and including a bending. This bending may be substantially perpendicular and advantageously the connecting portion is manufactured in a substantially rigid material. In such a manner the conduit member is given a predetermined shape when i t is not loaded. Thereby, the first portion and the second portion are advantageously manufactured in a flexible material. In such a manner the movability of the conduit member may be controllable, The first and the second portions may be bent but not perform any other significant movement. By bending the first portion the teatcup will thus be displaceable in a substantially horizontal plane. By also permitting the second portion to be bent the teatcup may be displaced downwardly. Advantageously, the second portion, in the proximity of its respective teatcup, extends substantially radially outwardly with regard to a longitudinal axis of the teatcup.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, each conduit member is connected to a milking machine via a respective separate long milk conduit. Consequently, the device according to the invention is appropriate for so called quarter milking and by means of the carrying member proposed, the individual teatcups may be kept together and easily engagable to a user.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the carrying member is connected to an arm which is rotatable about an axis being substantially perpendicular to the arm. By such an arm, the carrying member may in a simple manner be displaced between the first position and the second position mentioned above. Advantageously, the carrying member is rotatable in relation to the arm about a substantially vertical axis. In such a manner, it is possible to position the carrying member, and thus the teatcups, in substantially the same position in relation to the teats irrespective of the rotary position of the arm. Thereby, the carrying member may be connected to the arm via a support extending laterally from the arm and including a rotatable connection to the carrying member. Furthermore, the arm may advantageously be adjustable with regard to its longitudinal direction. In such a manner, the possibilities to position the carrying member, and thus the teatcups, properly in relation to the teats of the animal to be milked are further increased Thereby, the arm may be telescopic. Furthermore, the arm is advantageously displaceable in a substantially vertical direction, which also increases the adjustment possibilities of the teatcups and may, for instance, be of great value in connection with cleaning of the teatcups after the performance of the milking. Thereby, the arm may be rotatably connected to a bar which is displaceably arranged in a frame member. Such a frame member may be substantially stationary in the milking stall and thus offer a satisfactory support for the arm, the carrying member and the teatcups.